Think tank believes Fiji forum suspension not helpful
Updated
The Director of the Myer Foundation Melanesia Program at the Sydney based think-tank, the Lowy Institute believes American Samoa's Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin makes some valid points in criticising Australia and New Zealand's treatment of Fiji. Jenny Hayward-Jones believes suspending Fiji from the Pacific Islands Forum for its failure so far to move closer to restoring democratic rule.
Presenter Geraldine Coutts
Speaker: Director of the the Myer Foundation Melanesia Program at the Lowy Institute Jenny Hayward-Jones
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JENNY HAYWARD-JONES: I think the Congressman is certainly in part right. The Pacific Islands region does need to step up and help Fiji at this time. Clearly Fiji's electoral system has not created an enduring democracy. We've seen now four coups and if you count the latest one perhaps 4 and a half coups. The events over the Easter weekend, I'm referring to. And I think there is a need for certainly electoral reform and a strong dialogue on what a future democracy in Fiji would look like. And the actions of Australia and New Zealand to condemn the coup in 2006 and to continue to isolate the interim Government in Fiji have probably not helped that dialogue to that or to get support in Fiji. But from Australia and New Zealand's perspective this was an assault on democracy and they had to stand up for democracy in the region and for democracy in Fiji. So it's really a complex policy problem and, as the Congressman pointed out, it is complex, much more than it appears. But certainly he's right that Fiji needs to reform and the Pacific Islands region does need to step up and assist, it's not just down to Australia and New Zealand to lead here. Other countries in the region need to show some leadership now.
GERALDINE COUTTS: Jenny Hayward-Jones, has it become more about vested interests than democracy? Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin mentioned the US and voting rights. Australia has a certain interest in that, Kevin Rudd has already said that he wants to get onto the Security Council. Votes in the Pacific count for a lot because they are equal votes, has it become more than democracy?
JENNY HAYWARD-JONES: In Australia and New Zealand's case I think it's more than just UN votes, you could perhaps argue that about other countries with an interest in the region but from Australia and New Zealand's perspective this is our region and we should be leading it and we should be taking responsibility for what happens in the region. Certainly the Pacific support for Australian international initiatives is important but it's not just about that. In the case of other countries that have an interest I'm sure they're interested in the support of each island nation for their own international perspectives but ultimately it's in the interest of all Western, certainly all Western nations but all free-thinking nations to see a democracy in Fiji.
GERALDINE COUTTS: Is the Congressman also using this to his own advantage because it's known that in the past he's tried and tried to get observer status on the Pacific Islands Forum. It was publicised recently that he's trying again. Is this part of the push? Could this be viewed as part of that push? Because he has to convince Washington.
JENNY HAYWARD-JONES: That's right. Certainly in the case of Fiji and the region I think there has been a gap in regional attempts to really help Fiji and help Fiji get back on track in a way that's acceptable to everyone. In a way, the Melanesian way or the Pacific way has not worked in Fiji, we have not seen Melanesian nations really step up and effect some change and similarly we have seen the Pacific Island nations follow almost a new Australian-New Zealand line rather than being creative in their old Pacific way so I think this could be the American Samoan Congressman seeing a bit of a gap here and seeing an opportunity to raise his own profile and American Samoa's profile in the region and indeed to perhaps get some observership status on the forum.
GERALDINE COUTTS: Should Australia and New Zealand continue to be members of the Pacific Islands Forum , they're metropolitan, they're a power-broker in the region. Should the Pacific Islands, per se, sovereign states, be left to their own and is it time for Australia and New Zealand to resign from the forum?
JENNY HAYWARD-JONES: There have been arguments about that for a long time. I don't think it's in the Pacific's interests to see Australia and New Zealand leave the forum. After all, the nations need Australia and New Zealand's funding assistance to keep those regional institutions going...
GERALDINE COUTTS: But they could do the funding as an international aid donor without being members of the forum because that's also a bone of contention, some feel that Australia being the aid donors are using the forum to their own advantage and are abusing their membership of it.
JENNY HAYWARD-JONES: That's possible but I think certainly, I guess, the perception but I think greater benefits are delivered to the forum if Australia and New Zealand are included.
